Some 385 mentally challenged persons serving imprisonment for different period of time in different jails in the country until June 30 of 2016.
The Prison Population Statistics, 2017; published by the Department of Prisons of Bangladesh; revealed the statistics in the first-ever publication in 230 years of correctional service.
Among the 385, more than 100 mentally challenged persons stayed in prison for 15 to 30 years. At least 55 persons served imprisonment for 5 to 15 years.
Some mentally challenged prisoners, at least 55 stayed in jails for one to three months.
A large portion, 36.37 per cent, of the prisoners are illiterate while very few completed graduation.
The number of prisoners was 73,177 until June 30, 2016. Of them, under trial and convicted prisoners are 54,992 and 18,185 respectively.
There are 13 central and 55 district jails in the country.
